Tallow test results
Tallow lab test results and specification
We sent lot 26190 of the tallow in our body care and grass-fed bulk tallow to Light Labs, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Here is every result, what it means, and the specification that tallow is bought to. Our bar and liquid soap use a separate tallow, covered in the soap tallow section.
- Light Labs, Ann Arbor, MI
- Lot 26190, released July 31, 2026
- No E. coli, Salmonella, or Staph detected
At a glance
Lot 26190 at a glance
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All results
Moisture
0.17%, under our 0.2% maximum.
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What peroxide value means
Peroxide value
7.4 meq/kg, under our 10.0 maximum.
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What acid value means
Acid value
1.15 mg KOH/g, about 0.58% free fatty acids.
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Microbiology results
Micro panel
No E. coli, Salmonella, or Staph aureus detected.
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What melting point means
Melting point
44.7 °C (112 °F), firm at room temperature.
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About the lab and this test
Lab and date
Light Labs, released July 31, 2026.
Lot 26190
Every result from the lab
The tallow in our body care and Bulk Grass-Fed Grass-Finished Suet Tallow. Sample received July 17, 2026. Tested July 21 to 31. Results released July 31, 2026.
| Test | Method | Result | Our specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acid value | AOCS Ca-5a-40 | 1.15 mg KOH/g | Free fatty acids 0.80% max (this result is about 0.58%, as oleic acid) |
| Peroxide value | UV/Vis | 7.4 meq/kg | 10.0 meq/kg max |
| Moisture | AOAC 925.10, loss on drying | 0.17% (dry matter 99.83%) | 0.2% max |
| Melting point | USP 741 | 44.7 °C (112 °F) | Listed at 46.55 °C |
| E. coli | USP micro panel | Not detected | Negative |
| Salmonella | USP micro panel | Not detected | Negative |
| Staphylococcus aureus | USP micro panel | Not detected | Negative |
| Total coliforms | USP micro panel | <10 CFU/g | Negative |
| Total plate count | USP micro panel | <10 CFU/g | Aerobic plate count negative |
| Total yeast and mold | USP micro panel | <10 CFU/g each | Mold and yeast negative |
| Look, texture, aroma | Organoleptic | White, opaque waxy solid; waxy, granular texture; aroma and flavor of beef or grill grease | White, solid; not deodorized |
About the lab and this test. Tested by Light Labs, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory. The certificate notes these particular tests sit outside the lab’s current scope of accreditation, and that some were performed at an outsourced location. The values relate only to the lot tested: a dated result for one representative lot, not a guarantee for every batch.
Full certificate available to wholesale and brand customers on request. Contact us to request it.
In plain language
What these numbers mean
Together, low moisture and a low peroxide value indicate a clean, fresh rendered fat.
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Moisture
0.17% means very little water is left after rendering, a sign of a well-rendered fat.
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Peroxide value
Measures early oxidation. Lower means fresher fat. This lot read 7.4 against our 10.0 maximum.
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Acid value
Measures free fatty acids from fat breakdown. 1.15 mg KOH/g is about 0.58%, under our 0.80% maximum.
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Micro panel
No E. coli, Salmonella, or Staph aureus detected, and every count below the lab’s 10 CFU/g reporting limit.
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Melting point
44.7 °C (112 °F) is why tallow stays firm in a jar or bar at room temperature.
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Look and aroma
White without bleaching, with the natural beef aroma of tallow that is not deodorized.
Specification
The specification our tallow is bought to
It covers the tallow in our body care and Bulk Grass-Fed Grass-Finished Suet Tallow.
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product | Edible rendered beef tallow. One ingredient: beef fat, with no additives. |
| Source and processing | USDA-inspected beef fat, dry rendered, not bleached or deodorized |
| Free fatty acids (FFA) | 0.80% max |
| Peroxide value | 10.0 meq/kg max |
| Moisture | 0.2% max |
| Insoluble impurities | 0.10% max |
| Titer | 42 °C min |
| Melting point | 46.55 °C (115.8 °F) |
| Smoke point | 450 °F (232 °C) |
| Microbiological | Aerobic plate count, E. coli, Salmonella, Staph aureus, mold and yeast, and coliform: all negative |
| Shelf life | 2 years |
| Storage and shipping | 35 to 80 °F (2 to 27 °C) |
Tallow in cosmetics. The tallow is edible-grade, from USDA-inspected beef fat, and its insoluble impurities are specified at 0.10% max, within the 0.15% limit FDA allows for tallow in cosmetics (21 CFR 700.27).
What this covers. Lot 26190 and this specification cover the tallow in our balms, whipped balm, eye balm, lotion, deodorant, and lip balm, and Bulk Grass-Fed Grass-Finished Suet Tallow. They do not cover Bulk Suet Tallow or our bar and liquid soap, which use a separate tallow (below). See our tallow standard.
Soap tallow
The tallow in our bar and liquid soap
Pasture-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished beef tallow from small US family farms, bought from a separate supplier. These figures come from our soap tallow supplier’s certificate of analysis (fatty acid profile by GC/MS, March 2026).
| Fatty acid | Found | Beef tallow range |
|---|---|---|
| C18:1 (oleic and other 18:1) | 45.8% | 31 to 50% |
| C16:0 (palmitic) | 24.5% | 20 to 37% |
| C18:0 (stearic) | 19.3% | 18.9 to 40% |
| C14:0 (myristic) | 2.3% | 1 to 6% |
| C16:1 (palmitoleic) | 1.9% | 1 to 9% |
| C18:2 (linoleic and other 18:2) | 1.8% | 1 to 5% |
| C17:0 (heptadecanoic) | 1.3% | 1 to 3% |
| C15:0 (pentadecanoic) | 0.3% | 1 to 3% |
| Saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated | 47.7%, 48.6%, 1.8% | No range given |
| Largest individual fatty acids | Oleic 37.4%, palmitic 24.5%, stearic 19.3%, elaidic 7.2%, myristic 2.3% | No range given |
| Safety data | Supplier SDS |
|---|---|
| Hazard classification | Not classified as hazardous under OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (GHS) |
| Composition | Beef tallow 99 to 100% (CAS 61789-97-7) |
| NFPA rating | Health 0, flammability 1, reactivity 0 |
| Storage | Cool and sheltered, away from heat and direct sunlight |
| Handling | Oil-soaked rags can heat up on their own; keep them in a closed metal container |
| Transport | Not regulated (DOT, IATA, IMDG) |
About this certificate. It is our soap tallow supplier’s own certificate of analysis, not a third-party or accredited lab test. The batch is not stated, so it represents the product, not a specific lot of our soap. Ranges are the beef tallow ranges in Firestone, Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Oils, Fats, and Waxes, 3rd ed.; C15:0 read below its range, and the other seven are within range.
Supplier documents available to wholesale customers on request. The soap tallow fact sheet (PDF) summarizes both. Contact us to request the originals.
Downloads
Three PDFs for your files
Each is one page, with our name and contact details, ready to share with a buyer or retailer.
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Tallow test results
Every result for lot 26190 of our body care and grass-fed bulk tallow, with methods, dates, and the lab’s accreditation note.
Download test results (PDF) -
Tallow specification
The limits our body care and grass-fed bulk tallow is bought to: free fatty acids, peroxide, moisture, impurities, and micro.
Download specification (PDF) -
Soap tallow fact sheet
Fatty acid profile and safety data, from the supplier’s documents, for the tallow in our bar and liquid soap: pasture-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished, from small US family farms.
Download fact sheet (PDF)
FAQ
Tallow testing questions
Still have a question? Call 612-208-6516 or email hello@wholesaletallowsoapusa.com.
All frequently asked questionsIs your tallow lab tested?
The tallow in our body care and grass-fed bulk tallow is. Lot 26190 of that tallow was tested by Light Labs, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with results released July 31, 2026: moisture 0.17%, peroxide value 7.4 meq/kg, acid value 1.15 mg KOH/g, and no E. coli, Salmonella, or Staph aureus detected. Our bar and liquid soap use a separate tallow, documented by its supplier’s certificate of analysis.
What about the tallow in your soap?
Our bar and liquid soap use pasture-raised, grass-fed, grass-finished beef tallow from small US family farms, bought from a separate supplier. Our soap tallow supplier’s certificate of analysis (fatty acid profile by GC/MS, March 2026) lists oleic acid 37.4%, palmitic acid 24.5%, and stearic acid 19.3%. It is the supplier’s own certificate, not a third-party test, and the batch is not stated, so it represents the product, not a specific lot of our soap. See the soap tallow section and the soap tallow fact sheet. The supplier documents are available to wholesale customers on request.
Is every batch tested?
No. These results are for one representative lot, and the values relate only to that lot. Every lot of that tallow is bought to the same written specification, and every batch we make is recorded with a lot number, so each unit traces back to its batch.
Are these tests covered by the lab’s accreditation?
Not these particular tests. Light Labs is an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory, and its certificate notes these tests sit outside its current scope of accreditation, with some performed at an outsourced location.
Can I get the full lab certificate?
Yes. The full certificate is available to wholesale and brand customers on request. Contact us to request it.
Are your finished soaps and body care lab tested?
No. This test covers the tallow, not a finished product. If your retailer or marketplace asks for testing on a finished product, you choose, arrange, and pay for the lab, and we ship samples to your lab at cost.
Does the tallow meet the FDA limit for tallow in cosmetics?
Its specification does. The tallow is edible-grade, from USDA-inspected beef fat, and its insoluble impurities are specified at 0.10% max, within the 0.15% limit FDA allows for tallow in cosmetics (21 CFR 700.27).
Can I put these results on my label or listing?
Not as a claim about your product. The results describe one lot of our tallow, not your finished soap or balm, so keep test results off front labels, shelf cards, and listings. You can share this page or the PDFs with a buyer who asks.
How long does the tallow keep?
Our specification gives a 2-year shelf life, stored and shipped between 35 and 80 °F. See Bulk Grass-Fed Grass-Finished Suet Tallow for buckets and blocks.
